Ryan Hagen

Reporter

Recent articles

National security

A short-term funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security looked likely to pass before funding was to expire at midnight, in the midst of a national debate over security and immigration that was based in part in the Inland Empire.Democrats were at first unsuccessful in their requests to get passage of a “clean” bill — one that would fund the department without the Republican-added amendment that would revoke President Barack Obama’s executive...

Air force

HIGHLAND >> Tuskegee Airman Paul Green, a colonel whose pioneering 33-year Air Force career ended as commander of Norton Air Force Base, died Tuesday.He was 91 and had been suffering from a long illness, said his wife, Angel, a striking difference from the dynamic combat pilot who became one of the first black pilots in the military during World War II.“He was a...

Winter weather

There’s a chance the weekend will bring something no other day this month will: rain.Forecasters say there might be spotty drizzle today, rain and drizzle Sunday and a shower Monday, for precipitation that might total 0.25 inches.That would be the only rain so far this month, and while longer-range forecasts are more difficult, no more is expected immediately afterward, either.Maybe this February doesn’t seem unusually dry if you compare it to last year...

Volunteerism

BEAUMONT >> A lot fades away in half a year.After working nearly nonstop since August to help their son, San Bernardino police Officer Gabriel Garcia, recover from a gun shot to the head, the Garcias’ yard was one of those things.• Photos:

Wildlife

Volunteers are invited to count bald eagles as part of an annual census of migrating birds intended to document what the U.S. Forest Service calls a success story of the Endangered Species Act.Several dozen of the birds fly to Southern California lakes during winter months after their prey of fish and ducks is no longer available in Northern California, with the highest number of sightings expected in January and February. For the year’s first sighting, Dec. 13, the...

Residential fires

SAN BERNARDINO >> A 6-year-old girl and her 2-year-old brother burned to death in a fire that left their father critically injured, and the question is why.The exact cause of the 3:05 a.m. fire is still under investigation, but police and fire officials say the building that burned was a bank-owned apartment on West 14th Street east of Arrowhead Avenue that was riddled with dangerous code violations — maxing out the $100,000 the city can charge.No working smoke...

Immigration policy

President Barack Obama’s expected announcement shielding up to 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation drew passionate reactions and much speculation Wednesday.Obama, in a video released on Facebook, said he would announce his reforms at 5 p.m. Thursday at the White House, before traveling to Las Vegas on Friday to promote the plan.He said while everyone agrees the immigration system is broken, Washington has...

Corporate news

Amazon will create 80,000 seasonal jobs nationwide to handle the additional demand expected at shipping centers including San Bernardino’s, the online giant announced Thursday.The announcement, timed for midnight Eastern time, isn’t broken down to individual fulfillment centers but includes “thousands” in California, officials say.“So far this year, we have converted more than 10,000 seasonal employees in the U.S. into regular, full-time roles...

Hospitality and leisure industry

BIG BEAR LAKE >> In what will make it part of one of the nation’s largest ski companies with more than 2 million visitors per year, Bear Mountain and Snow Summit have been bought by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, the northern California-based company announced Wednesday.“People say, ‘with the weather, why do this now?’” said Bob Roberts, executive director of the California Ski Industry Association in San Francisco. “Skiing is always going...

Law and order

SAN BERNARDINO >> Police Officer Gabriel Garcia is regaining consciousness, nearly two weeks after being shot in the line of duty, Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at a vigil Thursday night.“Within the last 24 hours he’s started to regain consciousness,” Burguan said, to applause that he followed with caution. “He’s still in very critical condition.”In fact, Burguan said, Garcia’s ability to hang on so far is “a...